Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[notabitail]

If I sat and thought about what my chickens ate I would never touch one of their eggs. Everyone raves about the taste of my eggs. They claim it is because they free range. Well yes they do, they also scavenge horse poo for all kinds of goodies. Bugs, grass, minnows, grain, snakes and horse poo equals super rich yolks and flavorful eggs. I scrambled 3 this morning for breakfast. They have not killed me yet.

Agathae ate a cockroach the size of her head. Her egg was still good.

 

[featherhead007]

Yep, nap time

 

[featherhead007]

 

[BY Bob]

I think it is time I give a update on Bubba. It will also explain why I am not opposed to having a rooster in this group of chicks. It has been about 3 weeks ago now we had our vet out for a farm call for yearly vaccines for the horses. When he finished I brought him Bubba to get a look at his feet. He looked him over and then looked at me and said, "you are thinking tumors right?". Yes, yes I was because while it also looked like it could be bumblefoot I never found a open source for the infection. My boy has bumblefoot, he called it closed bumblefoot which is why I never found the point of origin and it was easy to misdiagnose. I asked him if he was his rooster what would he do and he was honest with me. He told me to watch him, as long as he is getting around ok, roosting no problems and breeding the hens leave him alone. He said it was so deep that he would have to be under anesthesia to remove and the openings so big that he would do more harm to him trying to cure it. So that is what I am doing, I am monitoring my boy daily. He can still get on and off the big roost no problem, he still breeds the hens and he is moving around ok and he is holding his weight. His feet look bad, and the minute they look worse or he shows signs they are bothering him I will make the call. My vet told me he could go a couple months more as he is or he could get worse in a few days. He did tell me if he were his he would not wait until winter. He thinks the cold and wet snow will be detrimental to his feet. I am hoping for a few more months with him. If there is a young roo in this group of chicks I would like it to learn a bit from both him and Branch if possible.

Oh no! I'm so very sorry.

 

[BY Bob]

I think that’s more a Polish stance than a Roo stance

But she sure is a very cute little munchkin

@RebeccaBoyd Polish hold their heads very high and have an upright stance much like a rooster.

 

[rural mouse]

That would be the ultimate revenge. I should name a feather duster after you.

The wildest one!

 

[bgmathteach]

Thanks for explaining and for putting this out on honey. I never imagined it it could be a risk for chickens !
Yes, having a vet option is wonderful but it's not always possible. We have a vet we trust at about 80%, but the issue for us is that it is a very long stressful drive. She will give advice by phone or mail and exceptionally send prescriptions by mail if it's urgent.

I treat my chicken's health like my own. If there is a reasonable, well researched homemade remedy, or one that is harmless, I will use it, but I will also definitely see the doctor or vet and use modern medications when it seems appropriate.



Yes, me too. Kelly, I hope this doesn't come out blunt, but shouldn't you downsize your flock ? Why have so many chickens if you can't see them for half the year?
I know you have to take care of your senior horses and I realise that is a huge cost. But wouldn't there be some other way ?

I think vet care is comparatively cheaper here, although with the differences in life costs and salaries it's hard to say. I had two hens undergo surgery with full anesthesia for bumblefoot. I paid 80 and 100 euros ; one was more complex to operate as there was no scab and the abscess was in the middle of the foot and had to be opened from above. To give an idea, our monthly medium wage is 2500 euros, and our minimum wage 1300. The most expensive operation I paid for a chicken was Caramel's ovariectomy, which she did not survive. That was 300 euros and included four days of hospitalisation and several imagery. Don't get me wrong, that's about 3/4 of what I need to live here for a month, but it still seems more affordable than in the US and Canada.

Mugs after so much talk about money. My last ex-batt, Nougat, is very unwell. I was certain the other chickens would be very mean to her once she would come near the end as she has been such a bully, but it's quite the opposite- they are all taking turns in the run to keep her company.

Nougat
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Tiny broodies locked out of the coop- Chipie and Merle
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Merle
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Laure
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Gaston. I was very upset that he mated Nougat yesterday and almost killed her. But I suppose it's my fault for not separating them. Today he was more careful with my chaperoning him.
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Chipie
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I am sorry to heare about Nougat. It is always so hard to lose them - and to see them failing. I am glad her flock mates have rallied around her though!


And Chipie!I've always loved her - and her spunk for such a teenie girl.

 

[bgmathteach]

Not the best picture, but right now this is all I have with all 6 silkies in one shot.
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I need some name idea's. I am leaning towards a music theme with them since I have Adele. One of them will be named Reba, not sure which yet as I am waiting until personalities develop. There is only 1 true black silkie in the group. If a pullet think it should be Tina or Aretha. So that leaves 4 more names I need to come up with. Let's think pullet names for now. I will say if one of the silkie's is a boy I am breaking the theme for it. I have held the name "Barbosa" back for my next cockeral, I will use it if I get a boy. I look forward to hearing your suggestions and I will make a list of my top choices and wait to see who becomes who.

Gladys (Knight), Diana (Ross), Whitney (Houston), Bette (Middler), Ella (Fitzgerald), Billie (Holiday), Dinah (Washington), Natalie (Cole)....the list is endless. I think you really have to go by personality, too. i.e. the juxtaposition of Tina and Aretha personality wise is considerable - though both superstars vocally/musically.

 

[bgmathteach]

@RebeccaBoyd Polish hold their heads very high and have an upright stance much like a rooster.

View attachment 3871819

They were so darn cute!

And, they clearly loved you, big rooster!

 

[Sylvester017]

The 13-yr saga picks up in late 2013:

After the Dominique chick "Xena" passed, we put "Taffy" the Blue Wheaten Ameraucana outside.
She was about 11 months old here. So sweet and pretty.

Taffy layed L/XL pretty blue eggs compared to the regular White Leghorn egg and tinted Buff Leghorn egg.

Taffy joined Bela the white Leg, Danni the buff Leg, Violet & Mini the two Silkies in our rough backyard -- yet to be remodeled.

By Spring 2014:
Danni began developing a proper Leghorn comb

However by April 2014 both Bela and Danni the two Leghorns decided they would bully the gentle Silkies and timid Taffy. We were not sure whether to re-home the 3 gentle birds and keep just the two Leghorns or vice versa? We loved them all but since our friend wanted more egg layers we gave up the two Leghorns. We already gave them a buff Leghorn before so they were happy to get 2 Legs more to add to their layers and I could visit whenever I wanted.

By May 2014 we were left with 3 birds again. It was a peaceful group -- "Mini" the black Silkie, "Taffy" the blue wheaten Ameraucana, and "Violet" the partridge Silkie.

But only 3 birds is not a good number. What to do next?